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Jenny McCarthy causes Autism via Mostly True Stuff |
So I thought I'd add a few to the list of (completely suspect, self-report, likely-biased, ill-defined, totally-WTF) habits (I mean only six percent of the wealthy say what is on their mind? Then what in God's name are they saying all day long? lies? or just a bunch of meaningless fluff statements? What kind of inauthentic relationships do you build on your six percent of what-is-on-your-mind statements a day?! Lord have mercy.)
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Jamie Oliver, you haven't tasted real poverty. Cut out the tuttingWe hypothesize that poverty directly impedes cognitive function and present two studies that test this hypothesis. First, we experimentally induced thoughts about finances and found that this reduces cognitive performance among poor but not in well-off participants. Second, we examined the cognitive function of farmers over the planting cycle. We found that the same farmer shows diminished cognitive performance before harvest, when poor, as compared with after harvest, when rich. This cannot be explained by differences in time available, nutrition, or work effort. Nor can it be explained with stress: Although farmers do show more stress before harvest, that does not account for diminished cognitive performance. Instead, it appears that poverty itself reduces cognitive capacity. We suggest that this is because poverty-related concerns consume mental resources, leaving less for other tasks.
What I had not understood before I found myself in true poverty, and what Oliver probably does not, is that it means living in a world of "no". Ninety-nine per cent of what you need is answered "no". Ninety-nine per cent of what your kids ask for is answered "no". Ninety-nine per cent of life is answered "no". Cinema? No. Night out? No. New shoes? No. Birthday? No. So, if the only indulgence that is viable, that is within budget, that will not mean you have to walk to work, is a Styrofoam container of cheesy chips, the answer is a thunderous "YES".

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